explosive
/iks'plousiv/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Sudden and loud: Describes something that happens or is produced with a sudden, violent, and often loud release of energy.
- Liable to lead to sudden change or violence: Describes a situation, issue, or emotion that is highly volatile and likely to erupt suddenly.
- Serving to explode or characterized by explosion or sudden outburst: Describes something designed to explode or exhibiting the qualities of an explosion.
Noun:
- A chemical substance that undergoes a rapid chemical change (with the production of gas) on being heated or struck: A material that can rapidly release energy, heat, and gas, causing an explosion.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- The argument ended with an explosive shout that startled everyone.
- The political scandal is an explosive issue that could destabilize the government.
- The demolition team handled the explosive device with extreme caution.
Noun:
- The military transported the explosive in a specially armored vehicle.
- Dynamite is a powerful explosive used in mining and construction.
Advanced Usage
"explosive growth": Extremely rapid and sudden increase.
- The city has seen explosive growth in its tech sector over the last five years.
"explosive force": The power or energy released in an explosion.
- The explosive force of the blast shattered windows for blocks.
Variants and Related Words
Explode (verb): To burst or shatter violently and noisily.
- The old boiler could explode if the pressure gets too high.
Explosion (noun): A violent and destructive shattering or blowing apart of something.
- The explosion was heard miles away.
Explosively (adverb): In a sudden and violent manner.
- The crowd reacted explosively to the winning goal.
Synonyms
- Volatile (adj.): Liable to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse.
- Detonator (n.): A device used to trigger an explosive. (Note: This is a specific part, not a direct synonym for the noun "explosive").
Related Phrasal Verbs/Phrases
- "to go off like an explosive": To react with sudden, extreme anger or emotion.
- When he heard the news, he went off like an explosive.
Related Idioms
- A powder keg: A situation that is likely to become dangerous or violent very suddenly.
- The tension in the region is a powder keg waiting for a spark. (This idiom describes an explosive situation).
Adjective
- sudden and loud
- an explosive laugh
- liable to lead to sudden change or violence
- an explosive issue
- a volatile situation with troops and rioters eager for a confrontation
- serving to explode or characterized by explosion or sudden outburst
- an explosive device
- explosive gas
- explosive force
- explosive violence
- an explosive temper
Noun
- a chemical substance that undergoes a rapid chemical change (with the production of gas) on being heated or struck